DIS Dads DDC XXXIV: The Original Home Of The DISDads!!!

[pkondz]

I'm reaching the point in life where I would rather sit on the deck with the cat and a beverage and not be bothered by people

“Reaching”?

It no longer remotely resembles affordable if we do the things we want to do while we are there.

I believe that was Walt’s intention to make the parks unreachable for the average family. He didn’t want his nice parks cluttered up with unruly children.

 

[wasnotafan]

“Reaching”?

Ouch. Accurate, but a rough Monday greeting after the Bills managed to find defeat yet again. I was born an old soul and my body has caught up with it.

 

[pkondz]

I was born an old soul and my body has caught up with it.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Welcome to the new week! I spent my weekend discovering that we possibly have termites in the joists under our deck. Hopefully you guys did better.

 

[wasnotafan]

Welcome to the new week! I spent my weekend discovering that we possibly have termites in the joists under our deck. Hopefully you guys did better.

Always something that needs fixing on a house. Hope the termites have moved into the house framing

 

[Maroonag1]

Hope the termites have moved into the house framing

I think you meant have not moved into the house?

I spent my weekend discovering that we possibly have termites in the joists under our deck.

That sucks. Catching them early is always better than the alternative. With any luck its just dry rot and not actual termites.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Always something that needs fixing on a house. Hope the termites have moved into the house framing

I think you meant have not moved into the house?

Right? I found myself REALLY hoping that was a typo.

That sucks. Catching them early is always better than the alternative. With any luck its just dry rot and not actual termites.

It could be dry rot. All of the other boards under the deck looked ok (although it's hard to get under there and get a close look). But it was also treated lumber and shouldn't have decayed like that. It's weird.

 

[wasnotafan]

I think you meant have not moved into the house?

That sucks. Catching them early is always better than the alternative. With any luck its just dry rot and not actual termites.

Correct. Captain_Oblivious and I are not sworn nemesis'? nemesises? nemesy? nemesissies? Just another age related malfunction between what my brain wants to type, what my fingers do, and what my eyes read.
Thankfully I have my first neurology appointment next Spring. Only 13 MONTHS after the initial referral.
Looks like dry rot. Pressure treated can still rot. If it was termites you would see a travel tunnel from the soil to the effected area. Entomology was a minor in college. I should have stayed with it and been retired by now. Get it checked by a professional if you are still concerned but there should have been tunnelling in the wood as well if it was termites.

 

[Maroonag1]

Right? I found myself REALLY hoping that was a typo.


It could be dry rot. All of the other boards under the deck looked ok (although it's hard to get under there and get a close look). But it was also treated lumber and shouldn't have decayed like that. It's weird.

View attachment 1018099

Looks like Dry rot to me. Especially with only the top of the boards crumbled, where water gets trapped between your deck boards and the beams.
If they are not ground contact rated, pressure treatment loses its effectiveness after 10-15 years. And trapped water with freeze thaw cycles will make it shorter.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Correct. Captain_Oblivious and I are not sworn nemesis'? nemesises? nemesy? nemesissies? Just another age related malfunction between what my brain wants to type, what my fingers do, and what my eyes read.

I certainly don't need YET ANOTHER nemesis!

Looks like dry rot. Pressure treated can still rot. If it was termites you would see a travel tunnel from the soil to the effected area. Entomology was a minor in college. I should have stayed with it and been retired by now. Get it checked by a professional if you are still concerned but there should have been tunnelling in the wood as well if it was termites.

My mind went to termites because I saw bugs early in the summer that were either termites or flying ants. But I haven't found any evidence of tunnels from the ground leading up the foundation or anything. Anyway, thanks for the advice!

Looks like Dry rot to me. Especially with only the top of the boards crumbled, where water gets trapped between your deck boards and the beams.
If they are not ground contact rated, pressure treatment loses its effectiveness after 10-15 years. And trapped water with freeze thaw cycles will make it shorter.

Good to know, thanks! My dad and I built this deck roughly 15 years ago, so I guess that would put us on the upper end of the range.

I think my mom has solved the issue. She just texted me and suggest I replace it with...

...wait for it...


a DOUBLE-DECKER DECK. (not to be confused with an upper decker)